title: Effects of GH on body composition and cardiovascular risk markers in young men with abdominal obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visceral adiposity is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk and decreased GH secretion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to determine the effects of GH administration in abdominally obese young men on body composition, including liver fat, mitochondrial function, and cardiovascular (CV) risk markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 62 abdominally obese men (IGF-1 below the mean, no exclusion based on GH level), 21 to 45 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated abdominal fat depots, thigh muscle and fat (computed tomography), fat and lean mass (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), intramyocellular and intrahepatic lipids (proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy), mitochondrial function (dynamic phosphorous magnetic resonance spectroscopy), CV risk markers, carotid intimal-medial thickness, and endothelial function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GH administration resulted in a mean IGF-1 SD score increase from -1.9 ± 0.08 to -0.2 ± 0.3 in the GH group and a decrease in visceral adipose tissue (VAT), VAT/sc adipose tissue, trunk/extremity fat, intrahepatic lipids, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and apolipoprotein B/low-density lipoprotein vs placebo after controlling for the increase in weight observed in both groups. There were inverse associations between change in IGF-1 levels and change in VAT, VAT/sc adipose tissue, trunk fat, trunk/extremity fat, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and apolipoprotein B. Mitochondrial function improved in the GH group compared with placebo after controlling for change in glucose. There was no change in thigh fat, muscle mass, intramyocellular lipids, cholesterol, fibrinogen, intimal-medial thickness, or endothelial function. There was no increase in fasting glucose or hemoglobin A1c in the GH vs placebo group, although glucose during the 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test increased slightly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GH replacement in abdominally obese men improves body composition, including liver fat, mitochondrial function, and markers of CV risk. Although fasting glucose was unchanged, a slight increase in 2-hour glucose during an oral glucose tolerance test was noted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. mbredella@partners.org
authors.forename: Miriam A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bredella
authors.forename: Anu V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Gerweck
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Melissa G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Landa
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torriani
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Schoenfeld
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hemphill
authors.forename: Karen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D002097:C-Reactive Protein